bolesky



Feb. 25, w36.

Filed Oct. 27, 1954 J. D. BoLEsKY HINGE STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet l 45 ,55 WLTNEssEs: INVENTOR l f' W' l @il JQ/m; 50/@3/3/ jyf/ Feb. 25, 1936. I J. D BOLESKY 2,032,109

HINGE STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 27, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LL-fs A WITNESSES; lNvENToR ATTORNEY Patented Feb; 25, i193@ f UW arcaico en srnnofroitn )Pennsylvania 'Application october 2v, i934, serial No. 750,303

` 8 Claims.

My invention relates to domestic electric cooking appliances, and particularly :to sandwich pointed out specifically hereinafter, or will be apparent from a description of a preferredform of device embodying my invention.

In practicing my invention, I provide a lower a slot therein, a substantially hat hinge link ver. tically movable in the slot in the lower` hinge bracket and having an opening at its upper end substantially rectangular in shape, together with an upper hinge bracket'also of substantially L f shape and having a lug portion to t into the opening in the upper end of the hinge link.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view, in rear elevation, of a sandwich toaster having associated therewith hinge `structures embodyinglmy invention;

Fig. 2 is a View in side elevation of the assembly shown in Fig. 1; y

Fig. 3 is a viewin rear elevation of one ofthe upper hinges; y

Fig. 4 is a side view thereof; Fig. 5 is a View in rear end elevation of a lower Y hinge bracket;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view thereof; `Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a hinge link; l

Fig. 8 is an edge view thereof;

Fig. 9 is a view of a sandwich toaster showing the upper casing at an angle of substantially 90 relatively to the lower casing; and

Fig. 10 lis a View similar to Fig. 9 but showing therefore, important that the hinge structures utilized with a sandwich toaster of this general kind shall permit of moving anvupper casing in' 55 parallel-face relation relatively to the lower cashinge member of substantially L.shape having ing through relatively large distances. It is also desirable to be able to hold the upper casing in a partially opened position relatively to the lower casing and it may be necessary to have the two heating surfaces in coplanar position relatively to each other. 4

Referring to Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, I have there illustrated a plural casing sandwich -toaster l II comprising an upper casing I3, a lower casing I5, a base Il and a support for the lower casing I 5, which may be constituted by a plurality of tubular members I9, all in a manner now well known in the art.

I have not shown any heating means for the upper and the lower casings and more particularly, for the upper heating surface 2l, and the lower heating surface 23, for the sake `of clearness, but it is to be understood that any suitable or desired heating means may be located within the respectiveicasings yI3 and I5 in operative or heat transferring relation to the heating surfaces 2| and 23 also in a manner wellknown in the art.

The upper casing I3 may have a heat insulated handle mounted thereon at the front portion thereof, and a knob 2i on its upper surface, which knob 2l is adapted to support the upper casing I3 when in its fully opened position, as will be hereinafter more specifically pointed out.

cluding an upper hinge bracket 29, a. lower hinge bracket .3I, and a substantially nat hinge link 33 extending therebetween, and it willbe evident I provide, preferably, two hinge structures in-i f that these hinge structures may be made left and right respectively, and it is to be understood that a description of one such hinge structure is illustrative of both with the exception that the other one is constructed oppositely to the one described.

The upper hinge bracket 29 includes a plate 35 adapted to be secured against the fiat rear surface of casing I3 adjacent one side thereof, and having integral therewith a portion 3l extending at right angles thereto, which portion 3l has a lug 39 integral therewith, and extending at right angles thereto and in the same direction as plate 35. As will be noted from Fig. l of the drawings, the part 35 of the left-hand hinge bracket 29 (as viewed from the rear end of the toaster) er:-1 tends toward the mid-portion of the casing, so that rivet heads 'il are hidden to some'extent, these rivet heads being those used .to secure the bracket 29 to the casing i3.

The lower hinge bracket ill includes anat plate it having rivet openings therein to receive rivets for securing it against the lower casing i5. IThe to the plane o-f portion 45 or towards the portionl 43. The lugs 41 and 49 are provided with openings 5I and 53 therethrough for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth.

A hinge link 33 includes an upper enc portion 51 having asubstantially vrectangular opening 59 therein with an auxiliaryreoess 6| in the lower outer corner thereof, and a lower narrower bar portion 63 Whi'ch is provided with a laterally extending short lug 65. The portion 63 of hinge link 33fits into and extends through the openings 5| and 53 of the lower hinge bracket so that the hingelink may have vertical movement relative to the lower hinge bracket 3| when the-two casings are in the positions* shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The laterally extending lug 65, limits the upward movement of the hinge link 33 relatively to the lower hinge bracketv 3| and it will be noted that the onlyv movement of hinge link 33 relatively to lower bracket 3| is in a straight linevertically upwardly or downwardly direction.

The upper end portion 51 of the hinge link is located closely adjacent to and at one side ofthe 'portion 31 of upper hinge bracket 29,.the lug 3-9 on portion 31 -tting into opening 59. -When casing I3 is superposed on casing I5, lug 39 will extend substantially horizontally in opening 59, andrest on the bottom wall thereof or may be located closely -adjacent to but slightly above 'the' bottom Wall of opening 59.

If it be assumed that an operator wishes to toast a sandwich of say one-half inch thickness, he may-,locate the same within or between the lheating' or baking surfaces 2| and 23 by raising the upper casing -andits associated elements by lthe pivotally mounted handle 25, place the sandwich on the lower baking surface 23 and then -permit the upper casing and the upper baking surface to rest uponthe upper face of the sandwich. It will be noted that the upper casing can move upwardly through a distance determined by the'height of open-ing 59, less the thickness of lug 39, without in any way causing upward movement'of hinge link 33 in the lower hinge bracket. Ifiitshould happen that a sandwich to be toasted is thicker, so that the lug 39 will engage the upper wall of opening 59, then hinge link 33 will also be moved upwardly the'necessary distance. this upward movement being', however,

limited by lug. 65 striking against flange 49.

Let it be assumed that the operator wishes to hold the upper casing I3 in partially opened position, such as is shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings,

- it is only necessary to turn the upper casing I3 by., means of the handle 25, and the rear edge portion of lug 39 will move into auxiliary recess.

6I while its originally upper surface will rest against the rear or outer wall of opening 59, substantially as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. lIt will be noted that this outer wall has a slight upward and outward slope which is just sufficient to insure that the upper casing and its associated parts will remain in the position substantially as shown in Fig. 9 or the drawings, once they have been moved thereinto and held there by the lug or lugs 39 in the auxiliary recesses 6|, as has just been described.

Let' it be further assumed that the operator wishesyto have two independent coplanar heating surfaces, so that he desires to turn the upper casing through substantially 180 from its original position. If vit be assumed that he desires to move the upper casing from vthe position shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings to' that shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings, he need only7 raise slightly the upper casing assembly, so that the lower edge of lugs 39 will be moved out of the auxiliary recess 6|, when it will be possible to turn the casing I3 to the position shown in Fig. l0 of the drawings, where the upper end of knob 21 rests upon the' surface 61 supporting the sandwich toaster.

Each hinge link 33 has a bend 69 therein just below the portion 51 the upper end portion of each hinge link being located a small distance closer to the side of the toaster. This is necessary so that the portion 31 of the respective upper hinge plates may move past the portion 45 of the respective lower hinge plates when the upper casing ls turned to the position shown in Fig. of

v the drawings.

The device embodying my invention thus proeasily manufactured and installed hinge members. It will be noted that the element connecting the two hinge brackets has vertical movement only relatively to the lower hinge bracket and that the upper hinge bracket has a parallel face or vertical` movement the hinge link, as

well as having a turning movement relatively thereto, and that the hinge link cooperates with the upper hinge bracket to hold the upper casing assembly in a partially opened position -relatively to the lower easing assembly.

Various modifications may be made in the device embodying my invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placedthereon as are imposed by the prior art or are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A cooking appliance comprising, in combination, a lower casing and an upper casing, hinge brackets on the respective casings, and a substantially flat link connecting the two brackets and havingv an opening therein adjacent the upper end materially larger than a portion of the up- .per hinge bracket received therein to permit a loose turning movement thereof in the opening.

A cooking appliance comprising a lower .cas-

ing, an upper casing, a hinge bracket on each casing and a fiat link connecting the two brackets, said at link having limited straight line movement relatively to the lower bracket and having an opening therein adjacent tothe upper endthereof, the upper hinge bracket having a portion materially smaller than the opening extending thereinto and loosely turning therein.

3. A cooking appliance comprising, in combination, a lower casing, an upper casing, and a .hinge structure connecting the two casings and including a channel shaped hinge bracket secured to the lower casing and having substantially alined openings in the spaced arms of the bracket,

of substantially square shape with an extension at the lower outer corner and an upper hinge bracket on the upper casing having a iiat lug located in the opening in the hinge link and adapted to have an edge portion t into the extension with the lug resting against the rear wall of the opening to hold the upper casing at an angle of substantially 90 away from the lower casing.

5. Afcooking appliance comprising, in combina- I tion, a lower casing, an upper casing, and a hinge structure connecting the two casings and including a lower hinge bracket on the lower casing, a hinge link vertically movable in the lower bracket and having an opening of substantially square shape at its upper end with an auxiliary recess at the lower outer corner and an upper hinge bracket on the upper casing and having a at lug located in the opening in the hinge link in a substantially horizontal position when the upper casing is closed on the lower casing, the at lug tting into the auxiliary recess and engaging the rear wall of the opening to hold the upper casing in substantially Vertical position and the at lug resting in inverted position on the bottom wall of the opening when the upper casing is located coplanar with the lower casing.

6. A cooking appliance comprising, in combination, a lower casing, an upper casing, and a hinge structure connecting the two casings and including a lower hinge bracket on the lower casing, a hinge link vertically movable in the lower bracket and having an opening of substantially square shape at its'upper end and an upper hinge bracket on the upper casing having a fiat lug located in the' opening in the hinge link and selectively movable in the opening to raise the upper casing parallel to the lower casing and to turn the upper casing relatively to the lower casing.

7. A cooking appliance comprising, in combination, a lower casing, an upper casing, and a hinge structure connecting the two casings and including a hinge bracket on the lower casing, a hinge link secured to the lower hinge bracket, and having an opening in its upper end and an upper hinge bracket on the upper casing having a projection materially smaller than said opening extending thereintoand adapted to interlock with a portion of the hinge link surrounding said opening to hold the upper casing at a predetermined angle away from the lower casing.

8. A cooking appliance comprising, in combination, a lower casing, an upper casing, and a hinge structure connecting the two casings and including a lower hinge bracket on the lower casing, a hinge link secured to said lower hinge bracket and having an opening in its upper end and-an upper hinge bracket on thel upper casing having a projection materially smaller than said opening extending thereinto and selectively movable in the opening to raise the upper casing parallel to the lower casing and to turn the upper casing relatively to the lower casing.

JOHND. BOLESKY. 

